Unloading mechanism for can washing machines



May 12, 1931. LR. HIPPENMEYER 1,805,142

UNLOADING MEGHANISM FOR CAN WASHING MACHINES May v12, 1931. L R. HIPPENMEYER 1,805,142

UNLODING MECHANISM FOR CAN WASHING HAGHINES Filed July 5. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @mkb mw UNLOADING MECHANISM FOR CAN WASHING MACHINES Fiied July 5, 192s. 4 sheets-sheet a May 12, 1931. l. R. HIPPENMEYER 1,805,142

UNLOADING MECHANSM FOR CAN WASHING MACHINES .Filed July 5, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 12, 1931 NETE@ STATES tartar carica i IRVIN G R. HIPPENM'EYER, OF VIAUKESHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CREAI-EERY v FACKAGE MFG. COMPANY, OF CHCAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATON OF ILLINOIS UNLOADING MECLANISM FOR CAN VASHING MACHINES Application filed July 5, 1929.

The invention relates to milk can washing machines of the type in which the cans are conveyed through a. succession of Zones wherein they are subjected to cleansing treatment, and more particularly relates to mechanism for unloadingl the cans from the conveyor after having received the treatment.

In the machine herein disclosed, an endless conveyor is employed to carry the cans through a circuitous arrangement of cleansing zones wherein various treating devices operate upon the succession of cans, as furtherdisclosed in my copending applications bearing Serial Numbers 376,254L and 876,256, filed July 5th, 1929, after which the cans are automatically ejected and righted and their covers placed thereupon.

The principal object of the invention is to provide automatic mechanism of improved construction for receiving and righting the cans as they are ejected from the conveyor, and for receiving the covers and placing them upon their respective cans.

Another object is to provide means for delivering the righted cans to a conveyor for movement of the cans to storage.

Afurther object is to provide mechanism for arresting the cans, aft-er being righted, in position to receive their respective covers.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred Yembodiment .of the-invention which I have selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that various changes in form, construction and arrangement may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a side view of a portion of the washing machine with which the unloading mechanism is incorporated. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view in elevation ofthe portion of the machine related to the unloading mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the can righting, delivering and positioning mechanisms, and Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of a portion Serial No. 376,255.

of the can cover receiving` device and associated parts of the machine cover conveyor.

First Vdescribing in general the washing machine mechanism with which the unloading mechanism is associated, the reference numeral 1 indicates a vertically positioned drive shaft having its bearings in brackets 2 and 3 supported upon the partition walls l of the machine. AThe drive shaft l is rotated intermittently by means of a conventional Geneva stop mechanism comprising a star wheel 5 and a driver 6 of which the driver is mounted on a shaft 7 having its bearings in the bracket 3 and in the machine base 8.

A bevel gear 9, mounted on the shaft 7, is in driven mesh with a bevel pinion 10 mounted on a. shaft 11 carrying a gear 12 of a conventional worm and gear drive of which the worm shaft 18 carries a pulley 111 belted in conventional manner to the drive pulley of an electric motor 15.

Secured on the shaft 1 is an upper sprocket 16V and a lower sprocket 17 which extend through openings in the partition walls 4 and respectively support, at one end of their operative runs, a pair of chain or link belts 18 and 19 extending longitudinally of the machine. The opposite ends of the belt runs are supported upon a similarly positioned pair of idler sprockets and shaft (not shown).

Regularly spaced along and secured to the belts 18 and 19 is a series of can holders, each comprising a pair of horizontally positioned laterally open U shaped straps 20 providing lateral support for a can 21 standing within them, the outer ends of the upper and lowerl straps preferably being connected as by upright straps 22. A bottom grid plate 23 supports the weight of the can inverted thereupon with 'its open mouth portion resting upon the open grid through which the cleansing fluids are introduced into the can. The side straps 2O are rearwarc ly Xed upon an upright bar 2d which is attached at its upper and lower ends respectively to upper and lower roller brackets 25 and 26, the latter being secured to appropriately formed links in the chain belts 18 and 19.

Each of the brackets 25 and 26 is provided The @rid )late 23 ot each holder is rearc l wardly'supported by horizontal pivotal atl"y tachment,'as at 30,`to=the=lowerfbracket 26,.

and' is y'i'ront'imrdly lsupportedl by' rollers 31 pivoted thereon and' ibearmg upon' a sta- .20 .'tionary `raill32 positioned' outwardly of and parallel `to thel path oi?? the bracket 26,' and having suitablesupportoirthe frame` of the machinevv 'lherail 32Yserves to maintain the pivoted gri'd plata-3F23 in horizontal vposition 25 fthronghout their'travel, except atlthe point where 1thei'cans" are l discharged'v from the hok ers' aft r theV cleansing" treatment is comi pleted." iAs illustrated at 33,

'the normal horizontal plane of the railf As` the can" holders 'reach this lowered portion of'the rail, the rollers 3l pal downward andvv lower th'outer end offthe plate 23, thus out y'zrdly tippinga can supported on 'the plate' xto'an'ang1e *causing it totali clear of the conveyor:

Rigidly mounted on theupper end of' the bar-24,1in'each of` the can holders,l -isair L shaped' bracket 34 eXtemlin-a'laterally ente" 4o lward inlthe form oi spacedv arms 35. "Piv' otally'supported' between thearrms 35 is a can' cover"carrier 36 'comprising'a pair of" spaced U shapedfplates rearwardly'secured" to `sruimble spacer base'," and' 'adapted' tore#4 =cei`veands'upport' a can' cover 37 between their outwardly extending arms:

A bell crank 38 is pivotally'mounted upon the1 upper-side of the bracket=34,'one arm of the` crank being `pivotally connected' to Va link if '39y'the =latteralso being pivotally i connected' to'theveover carrier 36 rearwardly of the carriers pivotal support. The other arm of' the'bell "crank 38'carries'aroller LO extending into'operative contactwith a stationaryl cam 5a lrail'el having suitable support on thelframe ofjthe imaehine', and positioned parallelf'tofthe 'path of movement'of the'fbracket34 'eX'-" cept! as to' the portionl 42 Vimmediately over`l the' lowered` portion 33 o'fthe'rail`r 32, the'cam "rail"pmtion-ll2 being fcurvedinwardly for a substantial distance. The cam rail a'ctuates the -bell crank in Control of' the position of the cover carrier. The: outer ends of' the' latter normally are uplited to retain tlie?'cover* an fby gravity during the cleansing treatment,

a portion of thev railiis 'lowered a substantial dista-nee'=below' and upon arrival. at the point of discharge of the can, the carrier is lowered to horizontal position through the cam action of the portion 42 of the cam rail.

Pressure jet mechanisms, for applying cleansingifluid'tothe inner Vand' outersurfaces'ofvtheifsuccessivecans carried on the conveyor, are indicated generally at A and P) in lig. 2, the same being described in ldetail"and',claiined'in my copendin'g appli-75 ration, Serial ANumber 376,256.

The unloading mechanism is incorporated 'vviththewashin'g' machine at the position whereA the successive grid plates 23 are lowered and the cans are toppled therefrom as described' above.VI Across bar 43, suitably mounted on themachine'frame, may 'befproe vided at the dischargeposition'to engage'the"- lower'end ofi'theican as it fal'ls'ifromfthe'f' plate 23, -thereby facilitating 'thef 'turningf='85 movement of' the falling cair.

Outwardly of the'fdischarge position is a f tiltable' can chu-tecfi-l mounted* in a suitable frame or cradle' 45, the 'latter i being secured at'oneA end upon a shaft lhaving its'bear-Y 90"' iing-s lin a pair otspaced brackets 47 mounted on outer -trame members 43 suitablyattaehedf to the machine structure; InK canfrecei'vin f i positioiig the' chute'i/lis tilted angulalrly,l towardfthe dischargeposition ofthe can1con-*'95 veyor and rests upon-a stop 49 mounted on i the frame structure.-` The chute'and-sup-'i' porting';cradle^are swing'a-ble tinto upright position-by imeans-'oi` a cranklever 50 se curcdupen oneend of the shaft 46, thecrank 100 5() beingpivotally connected to'a link 51 whiclris pivotally connected to another crank 1 lever 52 secured upon'a shaft 53 having itsbearings in suitable brackets 54' attached to thel machinerame structure:

The shaft 53 is given a rocking movementby a crank lever Y 55' securedv thereto and fendwarrdly carrying a roller'G-havingoperative contact-with acam 57 mounted on a' rotating@ 53 having bearing support -in brackets 110 59 mounted on the base lstructure of theI ma-`Y` chine. The shaft -58 ris rotated by jabevel gear 60 secured thereon andihaving driven engagement ndth-a' pinion limounted ontheworin gearv shaft 1l.` i The operatingwtrain'-115 'for-the chute=44 'is timed to lowerthe chute into inclined can receiving position -in ad ivance'of the moven'ient by the conveyor of' the successive'can holders-to the position of discharge.

Aseach grid plate V23 reaches the lowered portion 33 of its supporting rail, theI can restingfthereon is toppled into the chute 44a-nd? rslides downward inthe c hu'te into'abutment.

with the inwardlyho'oked ends "of 'a pair of" 125 pivoted stop bars -62.

Thelatt'e'r are pivotally supported, asat 63, upon suitable brackets mounted on the iframev stru cture, `and endw'ardly carry laterally ex# tending eyeibolts 64 passing freely through 130 a pair of stationary bars secured to the frame structure. Adjustable nuts 66 on the bolts 64 limit the inward movement of the bars 62, and compression springs 67 resiliently resist the outward movement of the bars 62.

On opposite sides of the chute 44, a pair of pins 68 are fixed in the pivoted cradle 45, each provided with a roller 69 having engagement with the respective bars 62 at inwardly inclined portions of the latter. As the chute and cradle are turned to upright position, the rollers 69 effect the lateral withdrawal of the bars 62 from support of the can within the chute, and release the can when fully righted. Thereafter, the chute is returned to lowered position to receive the next can.

lhen released from the chute, the can is dropped upon a short continuo-us belt conveyor 70 provided to move the can outwardly and deliver it upon some other conveyor (not shown) for disposal of the washed cans. The conveyor belt 7 0 is operatively supported upon a pair of rollers 71 and 72 having their shaft bearings in the brackets 47. rl`he roller 72 is preferably supported in adjustable bearings indicated at 7 8, and the conveyor belt is actuated by a drive chain belt 74 running over a sprocket mounted on the shaft 58 and a sprocket on the shaft of the roller 72.

Mechanism is provided for monentarily restraining the out-ward mo-vement of the can, and for positioning the can to receive its cover, as hereinafter described, comprising a pair of laterally swinging horizontal curved arms 7 5 positioned over the conveyor belt 70.

The arms 75 are secured upon a pair of vertical shafts 76 having bearings in suitable brackets mounted on the upright members 48 of the frame struct-ure. A pair of oppositely extending lever arms 77, mounted respectively on the shafts 76, are operatively connected by a link 78 and effect the simultaneous swinging inward and outward of the arms 75. Another lever arm 79, secured to one of the shafts 76, is operatively connected by a link bar 80 to one arm of a bell crank 8l, pivotally supported upon a suitable bracket mounted on the machine frame, and of which the other arm is in operative contact with a cam 82 mounted on the shaft 58. A spring 83, attached to the lever arm 79 and to the machine frame, normally effects the closing inwardly of the arms 75 to hold a can righted upon the conveyor 70 in position to receive its cover. The cam 82 then operates the lever train to open the arms 75, permitting the can to be moved forward by the conveyor.

The cover replacing mechanism is mount'- ed above the can righting mechanism, and

comprises a pair of laterally spaced brackets f 84, suitably secured to the machine frame structure, and having formed therein curved descending slots 85. A cover chute 86 is positioned between the brackets 84, and is. an endwardly .open box-like structure having a pair of spaced rollers 87 mounted on each side which operatively engage within the respective slots 85, the rollers supporting the chute for movement between the extremities of the slots. An extended upper portion 88 of the chute is positioned beneath the path of the cover carrier 36, when the chute is in uppermost position, and is provided with an end flange 89 extending laterally inward of aV cover 37 positioned in the carrier.

Upon movement of the chute 87 outward and downward, as guided by the slots 85, the cover is withdrawn from the carrier 36 and passes through the chute, as the latter is inclined in lowermost position, dropping by gravity upon the mouth of the can held in position to receive it.

The reciprocatary movement of the cover chute is accomplished by means of a pair of links 90 pivotally attached to opposite sides of the chute and operatively connected to a pair of lever arms 91 secured to a shaft 92 having its bearings in a pair of spaced brackets 93 mounted on the frame structure. Also secured to the shaft 92 is a crank lever 94 with which is pivotally connected a link bar 95 extending downward and pivotally connected to a leverarm 96 secured upon the shaft 58.

By this operating arrangement, the cover,v

chute is moved to uppermost position in advance of the arrival at unloading position of the'successive carriers 86, and then is moved to withdraw the cover when a can is in position to receive it.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a can washing machine, a can unloading mechanism comprising a chute operable to receive a can in inclined position and to swing said can to upright position, an operatively mounted bar having a portion extending transversely of said chute to engage and retain said can therein, means operable by said chute for disengaging said bar from said can as said chute is swung into upright position, and a conveyor adapted toreceive said can from said chute when disengaged from said bar.

2. In a can washing machine, a can unloading mechanism comprising a chute operable to receive a can in inclined position and to swing said can to upright position, a swingable bar having a portion normally positioned to engage and retain a can in said chute in inclined position, a member carried by said chute operable to engage said bar with the swinging of said chute to upright position and to swing said bar out of engagement with said can, and a conveyor adapted to receive said can from said chute when disengaged from said bar.

3. In a can washing machine, a can unloading mechanism comprising a chute operable to receive a can in inclined position and to 'swings said :canto upright positionpa stop oLi-netainingsaidican in fsaid .chute when in` inelined'positionand :operable to :release said cannin uprigllt'l position; 1a conveyor f adapted, 5 to reaeive'said can:Wlienvreleased-bysaid stop,

a pain of swingablearmsfnormally positioned across thepatli 'of travel-of said can :upon said conveyor aludeffective to arrest-tliemovement 1 ofsaid lean7 means foriplacing a cover on said y 10 yicanidurings Asaid arrest -of movement, and means operatively- :associated With-said cover placing means for swinging said arms reeof f thelpath ofsaid can wlieirfsaid .cover has been placedonfsaid can= 4. v:nacanivvasking machine, anunloading chutepenableto receive a canxin inclinedy position` andv .swing said can,I .into upright positio1i-,`` cover@` chute. operatively supported for movement into substantiallyliorizontalf position to receive acan cover, and for movement imtoiinclin'ed position adjacent, to said can in uprightiposition, Wliereat saidfcover is caused( to slide `into z position `upon said can, anll meansszfor moving said cover chutezinto [inclined position when said Canis swung into upriglitpositiom 1v 5. 'Infa caugwasliing machinea-anunloading i chulte operabieftoireceive ,and right a can dis'-A chalrgedi from said machine, a pair; ofspaced i aoasupportehaving slide ways; a cover chute liavingoperativesupport in saidislide Ways; said; slideways/beix-ig. formed to guide saideoverchute i into :eulostantially 1 horizontal 4position i to receiveaI can cover.andintoiinclined posii attiorrtolpemnit'v said-cover tozslide Lfrom said v cover chute, and operating means forisaid uni loading chute and'said .coverchute operable to cause eaidcoverlclmte Stofmove into inclined position when said unloadingLcli-ute .is in cani.

4o righting position.

6. Ina canewasliingmachine; a can cover conveyor, cover funloa-ding and i 1 ireplacing mechanism-comprisingla .pair of supports Y liavingislideways' therein, a cover chute .hav-zV l ingiopeirative supportin i said slideways,l said.;

slidewaysjibeing xform'ed Aand positioned to' guide saidoliute Vinto cover receiving position,l adiacentitiosaidfcovericonveyor, and to guide said chute into inclined position for the dis-A f charge thenefromzoa coverupon a canipositioned to I receive .said coveig said l cover chute having-1a portioniadapted to engage a cover positioned in. saidl oonveyor and to .Withdraw i said lcoverffrom sai dconveyor Witliitlie -move- 551 menteo saidchutegvand means for-causing reciprocatary movemeiatfo4 said chute :along said drideways.

Inllwitn'esswliereof I have hereuntoz -at4 tachddnny signature.

f IRVINGZR.11HIPPENMEYER5 :e 

